This week Pastor Mel takes us through the second half of Romans 8. The sermon opens with a reframe that sets the tone for everything that follows. When Paul talks about glory in Romans 8, Mel argues he is not primarily talking about heaven. He is talking about God's Spirit tabernacling in believers -- the same dwelling presence that was in the wilderness with Israel -- and about the goodness of God's Spirit being manifest through us for dominion in a broken world. Psalm 8 comes in here, and the connection between crowned with glory and given dominion over creation is one of the most striking moments in the message.

That leads into the central question Mel keeps returning to throughout: what if God is not saving us from the world, but for the world? Creation is groaning like a woman in childbirth, waiting for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed. And Mel makes the case that every time Summit does teacher appreciation or shows up for first responders, something is happening in the spirit -- the sons and daughters of God are being revealed and a little of the brokenness of the world gets relieved.

From there he works through the Holy Spirit interceding for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words, and makes a careful distinction between this and tongues -- these are sighs, the same word used in Luke 10 when Martha asks Mary to come help her. The Holy Spirit is not waiting on God to work. He is waiting on us.

Mel handles the suffering question honestly: suffering is not evidence that God does not love you. It is part of what it means to be co-heirs with Christ.

Mel argues that Paul's vision of glory in Romans 8 is not only about heaven someday, but about God's Spirit dwelling in and manifesting through believers now. How has your understanding of "glory" been shaped by Western individualism — and how does the truth that glory and suffering are inseparable change the way you think about what it means to walk with God?
Mel poses the question: "What if God is not saving us from the world, but for it?" Where in your life have you built walls to protect yourself from brokenness rather than stepping into it as a carrier of God's glory? What would it look like to move from escape mode to engagement mode in your neighborhood, workplace, or community?
Mel describes the Holy Spirit interceding for us with "groanings that cannot be expressed in words" — meeting us in moments when we simply don't know how to pray. Can you think of a situation in your life right now where you genuinely have no words? How does it change your posture to know the Holy Spirit is already interceding in that situation on your behalf?
Mel argues the Holy Spirit works in conjunction with us — not instead of us — and that many believers either never get to prayer, or stop there without ever taking action. What is one specific broken situation in your life or community that God may be calling you to both pray about and actively move toward? What has kept you from doing both?
Romans 8:38–39 declares that nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love in Christ. Mel is careful to distinguish this from a prosperity gospel promise — it doesn't mean life will be easy, but that God's love is immovable regardless of circumstances. Where in your life are you currently judging God's love by what you see, feel, or experience? How does Paul's declaration reframe what you're going through?